Re: (FC-Devel) free IDEF1X ER modeler

["Andrew S Halper, Computer Specialist, Tucson, AZ "<ashalper@usgs.gov>]

On 26 Aug 1998 22:33:38 +0300 
Andrey V Khavryutchenko said:

> We're in the very start of our development.  If IDEF1X could be expressed
> in UML metamodel core terms, then, I guess, there is no need for separate
> project. 

And now, time to reveal my ignorance of UML....

Can you recommend a UML book so I could read up on it and get back to you?  I 
don't want to be responsible for piling unnecessary complexity on what appears 
to a perfectly sound project.  I've been putting it off reading about it for 
some time anyway.

I guess I should also explain IDEF1X a bit.  I'm not sure how prevalent it is 
outside the U.S.  It is an ER diagraming standard originally developed by the 
U.S. Air Force.  Now, it's pretty much the centerpiece of a Logic Works 
product called ERwin.  An overview is at:

http://www.idef.com/overviews/idef1x.htm

ERwin is quite nice and I have no complaints about it except 1) It's 
ludicrously expensive, 2) No source (of course), and 3) No Unix, it's NT only. 
 So I was thinking I would write a free ER CASE tool that supported IDEF1X, 
IE, and possibly ORM in a later release.  But first I wanted to check to make 
sure somebody hadn't already done it.

Andy